[Randy Wheeler]

The reason I didn’t include the Quicktime clip links is the file sizes are huge when compared to RealVideo at the same visual quality. I used Premiere Pro to encode the Quicktime clip and RealProducer Plus 10 to encode the RealVideo clips. Also the RealVideo clips progressively download and I couldn’t get the Quicktime clips to do that. For a 1 minute DV.avi clip encoded to Quicktime ended up being 30MB and RealVideo at only 6MB and I still think the RealVideo one looks better. Why such a difference in file size when the quality is no better and in my opinion a little worse including the washed out blacks Quicktime added after encoding?

Here are the Quicktime versions:

Old Closing

New Closing

Randy

[Randy Wheeler]

I think the problem is the miscommunication in what the client thinks he is paying for and owns and what you think he should get.

Does the client have a right to just the final master tape or to all the individual elements/images/files that were used in making that final master tape when this has not been agreed to in advance? I mean what do you do, give him your hard drive with all the hours of digitized video on it or transfer it all to his own hard drive? Do you normally bill for digitizing video onto your hard drive or transferring it to his? How much or does the client expect it for free?

Questions like that start to emerge when clients want everything that they supposedly “paid” for. Are you billing the correct amount in order for the client to get everything they want at the end of a project or if they decide to go somewhere else to finish it.

Randy Wheeler
DnRedit

[Randy Wheeler]

This surprised me, but what followed amazed me: he stopped payment on my final pay check, which I had already deposited (apparently it can take 5 days for checks to clear).

Whenever possible, I always cash my clients check at their bank the same day I receive it. Also with new clients, I would be hesitant to give them the master tape until I was able to cash the final payment check.

Randy Wheeler
DnRedit

[Randy Wheeler]

“also my 3rd party plug-ins for Premiere Pro which he also asked if he could “borrow” for the duration of the rest of the edit.”

That’s a ridiculous request. Wonder why he didn’t just ask to borrow your entire edit system?

Randy Wheeler
DnRedit.com

[Randy Wheeler]

Do you then charge for all the time it takes to put all these requested materials together to hand over? How much do you charge for that?

I’ve had this happen where the client hired me to edit a weekly TV show. They shot it with two cameras and dropped off the camera tapes each week and I edited a program together adding graphics that included stock Digital Juice animated backgrounds/lower thirds that I owned.

I charged an higher price for the first episode that would include making the opening, closing and all the other graphics elements that would be used over in each new episode. All future episodes were edited at a lower fixed price.

They eventually got their own edit system and wanted to edit it themselves. I had done 27 episodes at that point and they had a DV master of each show but they wanted all the separate graphics elements also. I refused and told them everything they have is on the DV masters and they can use whatever is on those.

Randy Wheeler
DnRedit.com

[Randy Wheeler]

I was trying to come up with a list of videos that could potentially be offered to bands at a fixed price. Package prices could be developed by combining videos.

These videos wouldn’t have as many variables as doing a music video and would be easier to control the time spent on them. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

1. General interview with the entire band
2. Individual band member interviews
3. Band or song writer discussing specific songs
4. In the studio with the band

Any other ideas?

Randy

[Randy Wheeler]

I totally agree that music videos are so different for each client that a package price would be very hard and risky to use. That will be the one type of video that I won’t submit a package price on to this print/CD company.

What other types of videos can be done for bands that could be more easily created using fixed package pricing? For example, videos that could be shot in a day and edited in a day. One example I can think of is an interview with the band. I think this could be safely set at a package price and this is what the print/CD company is looking to offer their band clients. They want to create a list of these more basic videos that the band can choose from. From there the band could choose to have the videos authored to DVD by them or simply given videos masters to do whatever they want with them.

How are bands effectively using video in todays market beyond music videos? What would be the most effective use of the DVD format for bands? What types of videos are included in a electronic press kit?

I need to submit a demo reel and price/rate sheet to this print/CD company so that they can show it to potential clients. I’ll be putting some music videos and TV commercials that I’ve done for bands on the demo but what else could be added to attract and sell bands on using video? Remember this print/CD company already has the client in the door spending money on print/CD packaging/duplication.

Randy

[Randy Wheeler]

Actually, I wouldn’t be doing any of the packaging/duplication for this company just the video content. They have the clients already coming in for CD design/duplication and posters.

What would be the best way to offer video services to bands that are already spending money on CD packaging and posters? This company that approached me seemed to think a fixed package price is the way to go and that bands would be hesitant with a per hour rate.

Randy

[Randy Wheeler]

Ron, thanks for your responses so far.

What if the band admits to have given me permission that night to videotape them? Is that enough to allow me to sell it or is more needed?

The lead singer actually came to my house next day because something happened that night which caused the band to split up and he wanted to view the tape that I shot to watch how one of the band members was acting on stage. This was the last time that this specific band lineup ever played.

Thanks,

Randy

[Randy Wheeler]

How are tapes like the Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson video allowed to be sold without their permission and the company selling it didn’t even videotape it, in fact, it was Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson that did the videotaping?

Randy